No One is Immune to AI Harms with Dr. Joy Buolamwini
Oct 26, 2023
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Dr. Joy Buolamwini, founder of the Algorithmic Justice League, discusses how algorithmic bias in AI systems poses a risk to marginalized people. She challenges tech leaders on bias, highlights biases in facial recognition, and emphasizes the need for responsible AI tools. The podcast also explores the meeting with President Biden on facial recognition bias and addresses immediate harms and hypothetical risks of AI.
AI bias poses an existential risk to marginalized people and must be addressed collectively
Bias in AI systems stems from skewed and limited data sets, emphasizing the need for inclusive data collection
Deep dives
The Spectrum of Concerns Surrounding AI
There is a spectrum of concerns when it comes to AI, ranging from immediate harms to emerging and longer-term risks. Rather than a divide, these concerns should be addressed collectively to mitigate the future dangers by attending to the immediate ones.
The Impact of AI Bias and Discrimination
Dr. Joy Bulimwini's breakthrough research demonstrated how gender and racial bias are embedded in machine learning models. This bias can be observed in facial recognition technologies as well as other AI systems. By humanizing AI harms and sharing stories of those affected, the urgency of addressing this bias becomes clear.
The Role of Data Sets in AI Bias
Bias and discrimination find their way into AI through the use of skewed and limited data sets. Dr. Joy discovered that many face data sets were predominantly composed of lighter-skinned and male individuals, leading to biased results in facial recognition systems. She advocates for more inclusive data sets to achieve fairer AI outcomes.
The Need for Regulation and Responsible AI
Dr. Joy emphasizes the necessity of laws and regulations to address AI harms. Self-regulation is insufficient, and there is a concern of corporate capture in shaping regulations. The profit motive and incentives within companies can hinder the implementation of safeguards. A collective effort involving different stakeholders is crucial in finding a balance between innovation and societal well-being.
In this interview, Dr. Joy Buolamwini argues that algorithmic bias in AI systems poses risks to marginalized people. She challenges the assumptions of tech leaders who advocate for AI “alignment” and explains why some tech companies are hypocritical when it comes to addressing bias.
Dr. Joy Buolamwini is the founder of the Algorithmic Justice League and the author of “Unmasking AI: My Mission to Protect What Is Human in a World of Machines.”
Correction: Aza says that Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI, predicts superintelligence in four years. Altman predicts superintelligence in ten years.
Shalini Kantayya’s film explores the fallout of Dr. Joy’s discovery that facial recognition does not see dark-skinned faces accurately, and her journey to push for the first-ever legislation in the U.S. to govern against bias in the algorithms that impact us all